One Week {and a giveaway!}

One week from today, I will be boarding a plane to Seattle to join the nuun team for 24 hours of running, peanut butter eating, coffee chugging, van sleeping fun on Mount Hood and along the Oregon coast. As cheesy as it sounds, this is the opportunity of a lifetime!

When I first applied to be on the team, most of my excitement was just about the relay itself. For whatever reason, I didn’t think much about the other bloggers who would be on the team, and the fact that this experience would connect me with women I never would have even heard of otherwise (which is dumb, since I always babble on and on about how much I love the team aspect of relays).

Since being selected, however, it’s been all about the other ladies running. This group is easily the most excited team I’ve ever run a relay with. We’ve come up with a team logo, team uniforms and warm-ups, amazing van decoration ideas, and more. This has taken the team camaraderie that I love so much to a whole new level. Now I’m just as excited to fly out west to meet my teammates as I am to actually run.

Anyway, since we’re so close to the event that has consumed {almost} every waking thought for the past couple of months, I thought I’d take some time to answer all those questions people didn’t actually ask me (I’m sure you all were thinking them though, right?)

Frequently Never Asked Questions

How in the world did you get chosen for this thing?

In case you’ve started reading Health on the Run recently, here’s a link to the application that started it all – I Wanna Run Hood to Coast!

I head HTC is hilly. How exactly have you been preparing to run through mountains at elevation?

Umm….well Providence is sort of hilly too. And I run up those hills on every run. So that counts, right? (Let’s forget about the whole “sea level” thing for now)

Have you done double/triple runs to prepare for the fact that you’ll be running 3 legs in 24 hours?

Sometimes I do a workout in the evening and then get up in the morning to run. But I’ll admit that’s more because of the way my schedule works out than because I’m trying to be intentional about practicing. Plus, in those situations I have about 12 hours between workouts – which is double the amount of time I’d have on the relay.

So…no.

Okay, it sounds like you haven’t really trained for this at all? Is this true??

Yes and no. Honestly the only thing I’ve done is just continue to marathon train. I’ve been trying keep up with lifting regularly and I’ve mixed in some tempo runs/speed work/races, but those are things I’d be doing anyway. I don’t mean to make light of this whole race, but I ran 17 miles last week – which is about the total distance I’ll be running through the course of the weekend. Yes, I’ll be doing those runs on much hillier roads, but I’m hoping my marathon training will have given me enough strength to make it through this relay.

What are these team uniforms you speak of?

Sorry, but that’s top secret, classified information. Okay, so not really but I’m still going to make you wait until the relay to find out. Just think lots of color – people are definitely going to see us coming!

What is your favorite relay snack?

Nuun will be providing most of the food for our vans, which works out great because I’m flying across the country. But I might try to sneak in a few of my favorite things. Like Justin’s nut butter packets (so much easier than bringing an entire jar!) and my new favorite relay treat, peanut-butter filled pretzels. Seriously – I couldn’t get enough of the saltiness after running.

Follow the other {almost as cool} team Nuun Platuun on Twitter (@NuunPlatuun) – I know it’s not a competition, but Nuun Platuun already has twice as many followers as we do. I know they’re all cool and intense and everything, but we’re all about the love, so follow @afternuundelite, okay??

For you non-Twitter users, we have created a Facebook page! “Like” Bloggers Spreading the Nuun Love” on Facebook to see updates from both teams in one place. Plus, I heard all the cool kids are doing it.

And finally, I will also try to post occasional updates, photos, etc to the Health{ontherun} Facebook page, in case the other options aren’t enough for you.

Phew, I know that’s a lot! But I just want you all to be involved in the fun.

And now, because I want everyone who reads this blog to be just as excited by the Hood to Coast relay as I am, I have a fun surprise for you all!

Hood to Coast DVD Giveaway

As you may {not} know, the Hood to Coast movie recently came out on DVD. Not just any DVD, either. A 2-Disc special that includes over 95 minutes of extras. Hours of Hood to Coast fun in one little package?? Try not to get too excited.

In the small chance you haven’t ordered it already (because I know most of you pre-ordered the movie months ago, you were so excited, right?), I have decided to give away one copy of the DVD to one lucky HOTR reader. I might also throw in a few tubes of Nuun…if you’re lucky.

To enter -

Simply comment on this post and tell me your best relay experience OR one reason why you don’t think you’d ever run one (because I know we’re not all so crazy – though if you hate relays, I’m going to sort of wonder why the heck you want the movie…). Or you could ask me a question that you might actually have about the relay/nuun team/etc, give me some last minute tip or even leave some nice encouraging words (is the elevation really going to kill me??). Basically, if you comment on this post and say anything related to relays, I will consider you entered (unless, of course, you don’t want to be. Which is fine!!).

I’m not going to ask you to do a bunch of other things, but I will give you ONE bonus entry for following the Nuun Teams on Twitter, liking our Facebook page, or liking the Health{ontherun} page (all listed above). Sorry, but following me on Twitter doesn’t count. Just leave a separate comment telling me what you did so I can count it as an entry.

And even if you don’t want the bonus entry, you should follow all our team pages anyway!

Edited to add: I guess I should specify when this thing ends. I want to order the movie before I head out west, so the giveaway will run through midnight on Monday, August 22nd. I’ll choose a winner that Tuesday – so enter before then!

—

*This giveaway is sponsored and funded purely by me. The only connection I have with the relay is the fact that I’m running it next week. I just want to spread the Hood to Coast love to all my readers!

I am DYING to run a relay, but haven’t been able to convince enough of my running friends that it would be awesome! I did have a team invite me to run Hood to Coast with them this year and I was SUPER excited, but we didn’t get in They got in last year so we thought we had a good chance but no dice on the lottery. Someday!

I just started running, and I’ve never done a relay. But I’ve heard about “Hood to Coast” somehow, and every time I read your post about relay, it seems so exciting. You make it sound so amazing and fun, probably because you are genuinely having a great time

I cannot wait to hear about all the updates of the nuun team and your recap! All the ladies in the team will be great!! Have a wonderful time.

I did a 24 Hour Relay in June and although we only ran one mile laps at a time it was definitely tough to get through, especially overnight. But we really bonded together as a team and made it to the end happy and invigorated. Oh and we won the title of most laps which was also very gratifying!

I would do a relay; a marathon relay team would be fun. Not up for the 24 hour plus relays. My favorite (and only) relay experience was being a volunteer for Sarah’s Blue Ridge Relay team. In addition to working our four hour stint at an early morning checkpoint, we had fun cheering on her team which set a course record for a women’s team, and then we celebrated her 30th birthday with her team.

In January I did my first ever relay…the Ragnar Florida Keys. It was me, two friends, and 2 van-fulls of complete strangers, whom I now consider near and dear friends. I was PETRIFIED going into Ragnar, thinking it would be hard, scary, so many other negative things. And it was nothing but fun. Probably one of the best experiences of my life, and one I hope to repeat many many times, whether with my original vanmates or completely new strangers/soontobe best friends

I would love to do a relay. I just talked to a girl at a fun run at my local running store and she was telling me how much fun she had running one this spring. Perhaps it’s something to add to the bucket list!

i’ve never done a relay before but i have always wanted to! so many of my friends are not into running so it’s hard to find people who would even want to do a relay with me. i am going away to college next year so i am hoping that there will be a running community who would want to do one

That sounds like it will be so much fun! I’ve always wanted to do a relay, but have never had the chance to!!! I’m so jealous you’re getting to do HTC. I didn’t get to see the movie, either, so I would LOVE to watch it. And then think of ways I can do a relay. If I ever do a relay, I’m going all matching outfit and such. There will be french braids, ribbons, and glitter.

AHH! It’s always here! I’m so excited for you! And maybe slightly jealous. Looking at the pictures of our relay fun has me craving some wild {ontherun} van time. You are going to have an amazing time running HTC.

PS – If I don’t win, I’m buying that DVD and making many unsuspecting friends and family members sit through it. WOOT!

I am SO excited to follow you guys next weekend! You will have the best time ever and I am so jealous.

But that said, I doubt I’ll ever run a relay. I am not adventurous enough, I don’t think. And also high maintenance. And may get claustrophobic in a van for that long of a time period. BUT I love hearing about them and living vicariously

My 3 brothers and I signed up to do the NJ Marathon as a relay. We all lived in different states and emailed each other every day about our training. It was so much fun! Now one of my brothers and I are doing marathons on our own. The other 2 still aren’t runners. We have been trying to convince them to do a Ragner.

I don’t think I’d ever run one simply because when I proposed the idea of running one (from Madison to Chicago) to a bunch of my girlfriends that are runners they turned me down– flat out! And that after we’d met attending a running camp together I apparently need to start hanging with your likes so someone will take me up on the offer. I’m very excited to hear all the details of your awesome adventure!

“Never asked questions” <– love it! I should try that sometime, since I don't get many questions like other bloggers seem to get
I am so psyched for you, Lauren! This truly is an opportunity of a lifetime, and I am so happy that blogging (and obviously you passionate love for relays) made that possible for you. You are going to have an amazing time, and I'm sure the team spirit will be off the charts! Cannot wait to hear all about it!

I love your hair and I love your responses to the never asked questions

I am SO SO SO excited for you. I haven’t run a relay – but I really want to. It brings together the things I love most about the running community (running, camaraderie, deliriousness and costumes). Runners know how to have FUN.

Good Luck and I will be following you! I have been thinking and praying on doing a relay next year and can’t wait to find one as well as a team! If you have any idea where and when next year’s will be, as well as how to become a part of a team, I’d love to hear it and repay you with some chocolate fudge yumminess from Herbalife : )

I’ve never done a relay, but I’d love to. My husband and I would eventually like to get a team together to do The Bourbon Chase in Kentucky. I’m excited to hear about your experiences running Hood to Coast!

I did an all day relay up a mountain in Pennsylvania when I was in college. It was awesome and to this day whenever I hear the song “Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy,” I think about that relay. Looking forward to following your team as you guys go!

Am I allowed to enter?? I don’t have a copy of the movie!! My best (and only?) relay experience was with you at Reach the Beach! It’s what got me really excited for Hood to Coast and made me apply. It was so fun to be out there with runners just doing what we do best…definitely a different environment from a marathon or race, as everyone is just out there cheering for each other. Of course I wanted to run on the faster side, but it was a different feel than a normal race. LESS THAN ONE WEEK!!

I have only run one relay and it was a blast! The Lehigh Valley Marathon has a 5-person relay option and a bunch of work friends and I did it a few years ago. Afterwards we ran together to my house (about 1-2 miles from the finish) and had a celebration brunch. Fun!!

See I REALLLY REALLY want to do a relay! I don’t think its crazy at all, I’m actually jealous of people doing them. My friends and I tried to get a team together but they bailed an joined an already formed team for Ragnar without me. They claim they will take notes so hopefully we can do it next year. PS this movie was out in DC only for one night and I was out of town- booo to that!

I LOVE relays and I have done the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage for the past 3 years in a row. The bond you form with your van mates is by far the best part about it…you are going to have so much fun at H2C!

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories

Disclaimer

I am not a licensed medical professional. All views expressed on this website are based on my own personal research and experiences. As always, please consult your doctor with any medical issues, or before beginning a training program.